Discussion of some issues related to combining prayers.

The Shaykh : ... meaning the Muslims were compelled to combine prayers more than in any years past, as far as I know. So the important thing is, let us mention that mosque where he begins to pray Maghrib, and then he sees the imam stand up for a fourth rak'ah. It becomes clear to him that the imam is what? Intending to combine; because he is praying Maghrib, and this is being prayed in the time of Maghrib as the prayer of 'Isha'. Okay; what does he do now? He naturally wants to complete Maghrib, but it is not permissible because he is holding in his mind at the beginning of the night the intention to combine; likewise the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), when he was delaying the prayer to the time of 'Asr as we mentioned, did not announce a general mobilization saying, "O our companions, hold in your minds the intention to delay the Dhuhr prayer to the beginning of the 'Asr prayer."

The questioner : It is not obligatory.

The Shaykh : ... and conversely, if the combining is combining by advancing, meaning a day when we combine Dhuhr and 'Asr by advancing, it was never reported from him that he said to them: "We are praying Dhuhr now, so intend at the beginning of the prayer that you will catch up with 'Asr."

The questioner : ... he prays the prayer, meaning sometimes he prays Dhuhr in the time of 'Asr, and some times he prays 'Asr in the time of Dhuhr, with ... .

The Shaykh : This is what I am saying.

The questioner : So I asked him ... some times he prays Dhuhr in the time of 'Asr, and some times 'Asr in the time of Dhuhr ... because Dhuhr has its time and 'Asr has its time. At that time, I did not know a hadith until ... the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was brought by Jibril to the Ka'bah, and he prayed Dhuhr with him in ..., he said to him: "The fasting people have woken up for suhur," and he prayed with them once on the second day when the fasting people abstained from suhur until the end of Dhuhr and 'Asr and Maghrib ... So I asked him, I said to him: "It does not work for us, we have Dhuhr with its time, and 'Asr with its time." He said to me, word for word: ... and he asked me to draw a specific line between the 'Asr prayer and the Dhuhr prayer ... So indeed he said: "I want you to draw a line for me between the time of Dhuhr and the time of 'Asr." And how do I know that this is the end of Dhuhr and this is the end of 'Asr? So in reality, I did not know how to answer him, and even with this, I would like to repeat the hadith ... .

The Shaykh : It is known ... .

The questioner : So I would like to hear from you, meaning, is there detail in this?

The Shaykh : Before you hear from me; is he a Shia?

The questioner : He did not tell me he is Shia, but surely he is Shia ... .

The Shaykh : Because the Shia, my brother, do not have five times as we do; they have three times: Fajr, Dhuhr and 'Asr in one time, and Maghrib and 'Isha in one time. He is speaking like this to answer you either out of his ignorance or his fanaticism, or both together.

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : Yes, my lord, the times came detailed for us.

Another questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : By Allah, sometimes I do not know what is happening, my eyes become burning, although sometimes I strain myself in recitation from morning to evening.

Another questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : No, perhaps it is this effort that you are mentioning. The important thing is, if you asked this man, do you know how he used to resolve the combining between Dhuhr and 'Asr? He will not answer; did you understand how?